Milburn Review on youth employment launched — Contact urges families to speak up
2 mins read
Friday 19 December 2025
The Government has launched the Milburn Review to investigate why so many 16–24‑year‑olds are not in education, employment or training (NEET). The review is now calling for evidence from young people, families and employers. Disabled young people must be part of this conversation too.
This comes at a critical time when many families are anxiously awaiting the Government’s decision on whether it will scrap the Universal Credit health element (currently called the LCWRA) for severely disabled young people under 22. The consultation on this proposal closed earlier in the year, and a final announcement is expected in the New Year.
What the Milburn Review is asking
The Call for Evidence is seeking insight from young people, parent carers, employers, frontline services, and anyone with relevant lived experience or expertise.
It asks two central questions:
- What is stopping more young people from participating in employment, education or training?
- What would make the biggest difference to support more young people to participate?
The review is particularly interested in evidence about:
- Rising mental health and neurodevelopmental needs.
- The role of the benefits and employment support.
- Transition points between health, education, skills and benefits systems.
Why this matters for disabled young people
For profoundly disabled young people, the barriers to participation are very different from the wider population. Families tell us that financial stability, including the Universal Credit health element, is essential for disabled young people to:
- Attend college or specialist education.
- Access day provision, therapies or social care.
- Participate safely in their community.
If the Universal Credit health element is removed, many disabled young people could lose the very support that enables them to participate in education, training or social care in the first place.
This means the Milburn Review must consider the impact of potential benefit changes when examining the root causes of youth inactivity.
Have your say
The Milburn Review is inviting evidence until 30 January 2026. Parent carers and disabled young people can share their experiences by emailing:
We will be submitting evidence informed by what families tell us every day. If you’d like to share your views with us directly, please email [email protected]
Take action
Email your MP our briefing on the impact of scrapping the Universal Credit health element for severely disabled young people under 22
